At the Venice Film Festival, Kornél Mundruczó’s drama “Place to Be” received an extended six-minute standing ovation following its Wednesday premiere. The film stars 93-year-old Ellen Burstyn in an emotional role as an elderly woman who embarks on a cross-country adventure to reunite a lost pigeon with its owner. Moved by the audience response, Burstyn shed tears and embraced her co-stars Taika Waititi, Pamela Anderson, and Murray Bartlett while spectators applauded enthusiastically.
Burstyn’s appearance at the festival marked a particularly significant moment in her career, as she was honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. The acclaimed performer, known for her roles in classics like “The Exorcist” and “Requiem for a Dream,” did not appear for photographs before the screening due to a recent fall, instead using a walker to enter the theater. Anderson drew considerable media attention in a striking orange gown featuring a dramatic train.
“Place to Be” premiered outside the competition category at the prestigious festival. The film’s unlikely friendship between Burstyn and Waititi serves as the emotional core of the road-trip narrative. Mundruczó’s English-language project represents his second film release this year, following his earlier work “At the Sea,” which premiered at Berlin Film Festival earlier in 2026.
Originally reported by Variety →
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